Chapter 1: Sheltered
The day was unusually hot. Heat waves rose from the sands, blurring the landscape. There was no water for miles around. Not that it mattered to D. His hat shadowed his face and his heavy black cape covered his entire body and already black clothing with knee height boots, hands protected with black leather gloves. The cybernetic horse beneath him trudged on, unaware of the vicious temperature. Against his back lied his crescent-shaped sword in its sheath, both light and heavy in weight and completely ignored.
In the distance was a town unknown to D. The waves coming from the sands of the desert distorted the poor image of a tall building and many small other ones. "Good thing to. Another few days out here and you'd drop from sun-sickness," Left Hand said. D clenched his jaw but didn't respond. He wanted to sleep; that's all. "Yeah, no kidding. I'm tired of listening to your woes. Maybe you could think of something happy for once. Do you remember that little girl? Looked just like her mom -" his mouth was muffled by the closing of D's hand. He just didn't want to hear about it.
They reached the town and were greeted by the stares of the occupants. He stopped his horse in the middle of the square and dismounted. He stood for a moment, patting the neck of his steed and turning to look about. The gothic church was slumped on one side, sunk into the ground permanently. There were crosses on the doors of every building, some even having them staked out on top. D grimaced. "Well this is homely," Left Hand mumbled.
One brave soul decided to approach. "What are you doing here?" he asked. D ignored him as he grabbed the reins of his horse's bridle. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" He had stepped closer and began brandishing a gun he had hidden behind his back into D's face. D dropped his bag and turned to look at the man. His eyes stared coldly, making the intruder step back.
"One night," he said solemnly. "That's all I ask. Then I'm gone." The man with the gun stared back, eyes glancing down at the pentacle and back up.
"You've got to talk to the mayor." The response made D grimace once more and sigh. Why does every town have a mayor? D reluctantly nodded and followed the man, leaving his horse in the middle of the small town. There were sparse trees and bare bushes around the area. A few fields were behind the buildings, showing little promise of crops this season. He knew there would be a catch to this whole thing. There had to be one.
The building they went to was near the gothic church, complete veranda and a man in white trousers and black suspenders over a white shirt. His straw hat completed the ensemble. As they closed in, the man in white walked forward. "What's this all about?" he called. D and his escort stopped in front of the mayor.
"This stranger here wants a night," the escort said. The mayor looked at D, studying him closely. D was beginning to get very uncomfortable under the watch of the man, face crinkled and teeth brown and cracked. It made his eye twitch, but his stance didn't change as he stared back at the mayor.
"You're a bounty hunter aren't you?" the mayor asked. D didn't answer. It was blatantly obvious that he was. "Uh huh, that's what I thought. Come inside; we need to talk." D followed the mayor indoors, the escort went back to the square when the mayor waved a hand, dismissing him.
The mayor walked to the other side of his oak desk and sat in the woven chair, propping his feet on the surface. D stood in front of him and continued standing, ignoring the offer of the chair. "What is your name hunter? And your game?" The guards, so called, stood in the corners of the room, gripping their guns and shifting uneasily. D stayed silent, staring at the mayor. "Fine then, I will start. I am Dondur Foxworth, the mayor. I need you to kill a vampire." Bingo, D thought. "Now it is your turn."
He looked at the guards. "I am D."
There was a collective fire-at-ready attitude passing between the guards as their weapons went into position. The mayor stared at the dhampir before him, knowing him for what he was. D stood motionless. He knew what his name meant. "Perfect," the mayor replied. D thought this guy was way to relaxed knowing what kind of monster he was. "I suppose I must give you a story then.
"My daughter, Rhea, was kidnapped by a master vampire…" D's mind tuned him out save for the important details. The master vampire, Wilhelm, a dear close cousin of Count Lee, decided to come to this town in search of a small snack and took the sixteen-year-old daughter of the mayor. It seemed like this was always the same story line that he has heard repeatedly over the years. The only problem was that Wilhelm had been staked through the heart over 700 years ago. There was no way that he could be resurrected. Except…
"…So how much will this cost me?" D had been half listening. He knew the burial place of Wilhelm like the back of his left hand. It was some six hundred miles from the town, a good week's ride through deserts and rain forest. He clenched his jaw in thought. "Well vampire hunter?"
"With what I have to deal with, it is almost unspeakable of the amount and not worth my time." He began to turn and head for the door when the guards blocked the exit. Their guns were pointed at him, undoubtedly filled with silver bullets: not that it would stop him. They were only deadly when soaked with Holy water. And judging by the state of the church, there had not been religion held there for several, if not decades of years. "Your ammunition is a waste of time," he stated simply and began walking forward.
"Stop right there hunter," the mayor said from behind. The cocking of a shot gun clicked. D turned to face the man, head bowed slightly to cover his eyes. "We will have to kill you if you do not comply. Give me the amount. I will pay whatever it takes to get my daughter back." D did not answer. "Please," Foxworth's voice cracked with sorrow. "She's all I have in the world. Since her mother died last winter, Rhea is my only family. I need her returned to me. So if you please, give me the amount." D could not believe he was serious. But in the end, he really did have no choice.
"$20,000,000." The mayor winced. "But that's only half."
D knew the asking price was high for kidnappings, but this was Wilhelm, and he was no easy opponent. He figured that one out the last time he had encountered the vampire. "You can't ask that much! How rich do you think we are?" one of the guards blocking the doors burst.
"Not at all." D turned again and walked toward the door, stopping in front of them. "If you cannot pay it, then I will find a different town to stay in." He paused. "You're daughter has probably already been turned. There is no use looking for Wilhelm's snack." The guards did not move, waiting for a signal.
"All right. I'll pay it." Foxworth looked away from the hunter's back, eyes filled with tears.
"I need the down payment now, if you don't mind." The grip of guns changed slightly and fingers with tight on triggers. D looked over his shoulder at the mayor, waiting for a response.
"You'll get it by morning. Please, stay here for the night. I will point you in the direction he took that -"
"No need." D looked at the two guards in his way as they moved. He walked through the door way and back into the sunlight.
His horse was surrounded by curious children when he had returned to the square. There were too many, by D's count, considering the ratio of women to men. Many of them had to be siblings in one way or another. A few could even be the mayor's grandchildren. D didn't want to think about it as he grabbed the reins once more and led his horse to the mayor's stable. It was occupied by one other horse that looked worn down from much field work. Cybernetic horses were meant for so much better, in D's opinion.
The room he was given had a bed and a table, nothing more. He closed the door and shut the blinds of the only window. D removed his hat and set it on the table, then took off a glove so that he could rake his fingers through his long black hair. There was a sense of stillness in the room that he hadn't found in a long while. "You should sleep you know," Left Hand stated. "That way we can work toward that money you asked for. I don't know how you got so much D, but we will be rolling in it." D only grimaced and removed his boots and other glove, then stretched out upon the bed. He shut his eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep, marked by the enemies of his past and haunted by Wilhelm.